A Whole New Game: A Hunger Games Story

Chapter 18: A Foul Among the Flock

Katniss

Hope. Just a tiny glimmer of it sparks in each of us now that we have a plan, an extremely dangerous plan. But it's enough to take away some of the dread that has been filling our hearts since the announcement. And I would finally see Prim once again.

But there is one thing I have to do before this all begins. I have to tell Rue that her whole family has been captured by the Capitol, and that she might die. 

I walk slowly to her room, dreading the news I bring.The doctors had told me that she had been improving greatly, but she still shouldn't be moving around too much.This worries me. All of the tributes would be required if this were to work, and Rue was no exception.

I pull back the curtain to find her sitting up in a sterile white bed. "Rue-" I begin.

"I already know," she says quietly. Now that I look, I see her eyes are wet. "What are we going to do?" Her voice breaks.

I bend over and nearly bury her with a hug, "I'm so sorry Rue, but don't worry," I drop my voice to a whisper, "We have a plan to get them out."

I fill her in with what we have as a plan so far, but some of it even I don't know. "Do you think it'll work?" Rue asks, doubt in her voice.

"We have to believe it can work.We will get our families back, Rue." Though I don't believe a word of it, I find myself saying, "I promise."

There is something about Rue, that reminded me so much of Prim. I feel as though she is my own sister, my own responsibility. I don't know how we would do it, but looking into those beautiful brown eyes, I will stop at nothing to make sure they are safe.

 All of me just wanted to break down to sob, exhausted and honestly scared, but I know that won't help. I won't turn into my mother. I have to be strong... For Rue, for Prim.

Athena

I sit, staring aimlessly at the ceiling above my bunk.There is no running away and hiding this time, not when Samantha is involved.There a plan, a plan that has a fifty-fifty shot of working, or completely failing. But at least there is a chance. I may finally hold Sammy in my arms once again.

Finnick told us that this mission will test our bravery. I have never been terribly brave. Running about behind the corners of everyone's eyes, dodging stares, hiding in dark alleyways while I count the money I made from the daily loot back before the Games. I would always feel shame, but looking at Samantha's hungry eyes would mask it all.

Beetee once called me brave, but am I really?. I remember,suddenly, something my father once said to me.

"There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity, it's only stupidity if you fail."

Oh yeah? Well,l look where you are now, dad.Would you and mom consider yourselves brave? Or stupid? Because you both failed.You were right, it's only stupidity if you fail, and you died.You failed me, you failed Samantha. And now I have the responsibility of taking care of my three year old sister, which evidently I have failed at as well, considering she now lies somewhere imprisoned within the Capitol.

I want to believe that my parents were brave for doing what they did, I want to believe that the rebels are brave for standing up against the horrible Capitol. But do they really have courage? Or are they all just holding on to an ignorant belief that the Capitol can be stopped?

And look at me, being a hypocrite. I stare down at my new arm, the signature on the contract of my allegiance to Rebellion. Maybe I'm blaming the wrong people. The Rebellion didn't take away Samantha, the Capitol did. And that is all that matters now, at this moment.